Clamp and housing apparatus



19% c. M. KIRTLEY Ei-AL 3,291,394

CLAMP AND HOUSING APPARATUS Filed D80. 5. 1963 H //VVENTO/P5 firm/awe?United States Patent Filed Dec. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 328,433 3 Claims. (Cl.16li181) This invention relates to window shutters or louvers of thevertical type, and more particularly to a device for releasably clampingthe upper and lower housings of the louver assembly to a Window frame orthe like.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improvedstructure for releasably clamping a louver assembly housing to a windowframe or the like.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved louverhousing and clamping bracket combination which enables a quick and easyassembly and dis-assembly of the housing to the bracket.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a structure foreasy installation of a louver housing to a window frame which alsoprovides an extremely secure releasable clamping of the housing to astationary position.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a structure havingthe aforementioned features which is of a neat appearance so as not todetract from the beauty of the louver assembly.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel bracket, securinga louver housing to a window frame, which bracket prevents both lateraland longitudinal movement of the louver housing.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an improved louverhousing and clamping bracket structure for both the upper and lowerhousings of a louver assembly, whereby either upper or lower housingsmay be released from its secured position to enable the most efficientmaintenance of the window.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a structure capableof attaining the above designated objectives which is easy tomanufacture, simple to install, and effective in use.

These objects, and other features and advantages of this invention willbe readily apparent from the following descriptions, when taken intoconsideration with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional window frame, and showingassembled thereto a preferred embodiment of the combined louver assemblyand clamping brackets of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a foreshortened enlarged sectional view taken along the lineZ-2 inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the swing clamp brackets which isa part of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan View of the swing clamp bracket of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, enlarged sectional view of a portion of theswing clamp bracket taken along the line 77 in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, side elevational view taken along the line il8in FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, the vertical Venetian blind assembly ofthis invention is illustrated generally at 10 in FIG. 1, and includes anupper channel housing 11, a lower channel housing 12, and a plurality ofvertical parallel louvers 13 attached to the housings 11 and 12 in apredetermined relationship.

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A pair of swing clamp brackets 1 5 are provided for releasably mountingthe upper housing 11, each bracket 14 being secured by a cap screw 15 orthe like to an L-shaped bracket 16. Each bracket 16 is in turn securedby any conventional means to an upper member 17 of the window casing.Another pair of brackets 14 are secured, each by a wood screw 18 or thelike to the sill 19 of the window casing for releasably securing thelower housing 12 of the louver assembly 10 thereto.

The louver assembly comprises generally, in addition to the upper andlower housings 11 and 12, respectively and the louvers 13, an operatingstructure 21 for each louver 13 at its upper end and its lower end, asbest illusrated in FIG. 2. Connection is made between the ends of eachlouver and the respective operating structures 21 therefor by a louverstem 22 for each structure 21, which stem 22 is reciprocally held in thestructure by a spring 23 (FIG. 2). Each louver 13 has a button hook 24at each end which is adapted to hook into an opening (not shown)provided therefor in the lower end 26 of a louver stem 22. By thisarrangement, each louver is held taut, but is easily disengaged from alouver stem 22 by pulling the stern away from its respective housing,whereby the button hook 24 may be disengaged from the stem 22.

For the objects enumerated hereinbefore, the swing clamp brackets 14,hereinafter termed swing clamps for brevity, are provided. When taken incombination with a particular construction therefor of the housings 11and 12, this combination provides the basis for this invention. As eachswing clamp 14 is identical, whether used with the upper housing 11 orthe lower housing 12, and whether used with a bracket 16 or attached toa sill 19, only one swing clamp 14 will therefore be described.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 3-8, a swing clamp 14 comprises a fiatrectangular base 27 having a pair of parallel side flanges 28 and 29,both flanges being bent at approximately degrees to the main plane ofthe base 27, and extended in the same direction. The width of the base27 between the flanges 28 and 29 is such that the parallel legs 31 and32 (PEG. 2) of either housing 11 and 12 fit snugly up against theadjacent surface of the base 27 and contiguous to the side flanges 28and 29. A hole 33 is formed in one end of the base-to accommodate ascrew or the like to be inserted therethrough for fastening the swingclamp 14 to any desired stationary object.

At the other end of the base 27, a circular boss 34 is formed forsupporting a swing arm 36, rotatably secured to the base 27 by means ofa rivet 37 or the like inserted through the boss 34. The swing arm 36includes a clamp portion 38 and a finger portion 39. The center of theclamp portion 38 comprises a flat part 41 which has on each side thereofa pair of ears 42 and d3 raised from the plane of the part 41 as bestillustrated in FIG. 5. The ear 42 has a curved leading edge 44 asclearly shown in FIG. 4, and a trailing edge 46 which extends tangentialto the side flanges 28 and 29 of the base 27 The other ear 43 also has aleading edge 47 which is curved, and a trailing edge 48 which isstraight or tangential relative again to the side flanges 28 and 29. Thepurpose for the provision of particularly the leading edges 44 and 47will be described hereinafter.

The finger portion 39 of the swing arm 36 has an inner section 49 whichextends outwardly from the part 41 on the same level therewith (FIG. 6),which then depends at an inclined angle by an intermediate section 51 toa fiat bottom section 52 (FIG. 6) which curves about in a right angle orL-shape. At the outer end of the bottom section 52 is an upturned ear 53which enables the swing arm 36 to be manipulated by the fingers of anoperator. A slight protrusion 54 (FIG. 7) is formed in the bottomsection 52 to extend in the same direction as the ear 53 for a purposehereinafter described.

To cooperate in clamping either housing 11 and 12 to one or more swingclamps 14, the legs 31 and 32 of a housing have flanges 56 and 57 (FIG.2) which are reversely bent a short distance substantially parallel andinwardly of the legs 31 and 32. The height, or depth as the case may be,of both flanges 56 and 57 is equal, both flanges being of equalportions, and whereby the upper edges of the flanges form shoulders 60parallel to each other and equidistantly spaced from the leg end edges58. Of note, the edges 58 lie in the same plane. Thus, to assemble ahousing to a swing clamp, the swing clamp 14 is first aflixed to eitherthe sill 19 or to the bracket 16 so as to provide its base 27 beingstationary. The swing arm 36 is then rotated by finger manipulation onthe ear 53 to the dotted line position of FIG. 4. In this rotatedposition, the transverse or lateral spacing between each ear 42 and 43and the adjacent side flange 28 and 29, is such that the bottom edges 58(FIG. 4) of the housing legs 31 and 32 are seated flat against the base27, and with the legs 31 and 32 contiguous to the side flanges 28 and 29of the swing clamp 14.

The bottom section 52 of the swing clamp arm 36, which is on a levelwith the base 27 of the swing clamp 14, is also so positioned, due tothe intermediate section 51 having struck the adjacent edge 59 (FIG. 4)of the base 27 and thus limited the outwardly swinging movement of theswing arm 36, that the bottom edges 58 also do not bind against any partof the swing arm 36 when they are being seated against the base 27. Theswing arm 36 is then free to be rotated from the dotted line position ofFIG. 4 to the full lined position thereof. During the rotating orswinging movement of the arm 36 to the full lined position of FIG. 4,the leading edges 44 and 47 of the ears 42 and 43, respectively, whichhave slightly upturned front portions 44' and 47' (FIG. 8), engage theends 60 (FIG. 2) of the leg flanges 56 and 57, providing thereby as theswing arm is turned a gradually increasing clamping action of the ears42 and 43 against the flanges 56 and 57. As best shown in FIG. 2, theears 42 and 43 thus tend to force and securely clamp and hold thehousing by means of its leg flanges 56 and 57 against the base 27 of theswing clamp 14. Therefore, when the swing arm 36 is in its full linedposition of FIG. 4, the lateral or transverse space between the ears 42and 43 and the respective adjacent inner surface of a side flange 28 and29 is sufficiently small, such that when the housing legs 31 and 32 areinserted therebetween, the ears 42 and 43 extend over and above, orbelow as the case may be, the inturned housing leg flanges 56 and 57.

A release of a housing 11 or 12 from a swing clamp 14 is just as simpleas an assembly therebetween. A swing arm 36 is merely rotated from thefull lined position of FIG. 4 to the dotted lined position thereof,whereby as the ears 42 and 43 are removed from their overhanging-so tospeakposition relative to the leg flanges 56 and 57, the housing canquickly and easily be lifted away from the swing clamp 14.

In view of this description, it is therefore readily seen that theinstallation of a louver assembly housing to a swing clamp is easilyaccomplished, and that when the assembly is complete, the housing issecured against both lateral and longitudinal movement relative to theswing clamp bracket and relative also to the Window frame.

Referring to FIG. 1, one can readily appreciate that the provision ofthe swing clamp 14 does not detract from the overall beauty of thelouver assembly 10, as only the finger manipulating ear 53 and one ofthe side flanges 28 or 29 appear to the naked eye. Furthermore, it canreadily be appreciated that should one want to wash or otherwisemaintain the window behind the louver assembly 10, that one could merelyrelease both lower swing clamps 14, move and hold the lower portion ofthe louver assembly away from the window so as to enable one to move inbetween, accomplish the task, and then quickly and easily reassemble thelower channel housing 12 to the two lower swing clamps 14.

In FIG. 7, it is seen that when the swing arm 36 is moved to the fullline clamping position of FIG. 4, the protrusion 54 is moved beneath thebottom or free end edge 58 of the adjacent leg 32. The outer end 53 ofthe swing arm finger portion 39 is thus held in a semi-locked condition.Upon the portion 39 being moved from this position, the flexibility ofthe thin walled leg 32 permits the protrusion 54 to pass therebeneath.

Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been describedhereinbefore, it is not to be so limited as modifications and otheralternate constructions are readily envisaged without departing from thetrue spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appendedclaims.

We claim:

1. In a louver assembly including vertical louvers, apparatus forreleasably clamping each end of each louver to a stationary member, alsoat each end thereof, comprising in combination:

a housing including a unit releasably engaged with an end of a louver,said housing having a U-shaped structure with legs extending parallel toeach other and in the same direction;

shoulders formed on the inside of said legs by reversely bending equalouter portions of the legs so that said shoulders are of equal height;and

clamp means including a base and an arm pivotally mounted on said basefor rotatable movement over said base;

said base insertable between said legs and the stationary member, andsecured to the stationary member with said end edges of said legs placedfiat thereon to support the U-shaped structure, said arm having aportion at said pivotal mounting with opposite end tips extendingnormally laterally towards said legs, said portion movable from a firstposition with said end tips spaced laterally from the leg end edges to asecond position contiguous with said end tips extending over and infrictional engagement with said shoulders, said end tips clamping saidshoulders and thus said housing toward and against said base;

said arm having further a finger portion extending outwardly and awayfrom said base and with an exposed free end thereof always disposedlaterally outwardly from one of the legs.

2. In a louver assembly including vertical louvers, apparatus forreleasably clamping each end of each louver to a stationary member, alsoat each end thereof, comprising in combination:

a housing including a unit releasably engaged with an end of a louver,said housing having a U-shaped structure with legs extending parallel toeach other and in the same direction;

shoulders formed on the inside of said legs by reversely bending equalouter portions of the legs so that said shoulders are of equal height;and

clamp means including a base and an arm pivotally mounted on said basefor rotatable movement over said base;

said base having a flat portion and a pair of parallel side flangesextended at substantially right angles to said flat portion, the flatportion secured to the stationary member with said end edges of the legsplaced flat thereon with the outside of the legs contiguous to said sideflanges, said arm having a portion at said pivotal mounting withopposite end tips extending normally laterally toward said legs, saidportion movable from a first position with said end tips spacedlaterally from the leg end edges to a second position with said end tipsextending over and in frictional engagement with said shoulders,

said end tips clamping said shoulders and thus said housing toward andagainst said base;

said arm having further a finger portion extending outwardly and awayfrom said base and disposed in the same plane as said flat portion.

3. A clamp and housing apparatus for releasably securing the housing toan object comprising in combination:

a housing including a pair of parallel legs having free edges lying inthe same plane;

shoulders formed on the inside of the legs by reversely bent equalportions of the legs extended inwardly'of the legs and with their uppershoulder-forming edges located in the same plane; and

means for releasably securing the legs including a base and armpivotally mounted on said base for rotatable movement over said base;said base having a flat portion defined by end edges,

and by a pair of parallel side flanges extended at substantially rightangles to said fiat portion, the flat portion secured to the object withthe free edges placed flat thereon with the outsides of the legscontiguous With said side flanges;

said arm having an ear portion with a pair of opposed ears spaced abovesaid base, and a finger portion extended in an angular direction fromsaid ear portion and with an outer end disposed in the same plane as theplane of said base, whereby one of said free edges is also placed flatand contiguous to said outer end, said ears being spaced apart adistance sufiicient for said ear portion to be moved from a positionwherein said ears overlie said shoulders and frictionally clamp saidshoulders toward and against the object, to a position wherein said earsare positioned between said shoulders and disengaged therefrom.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,165,669 7/1939Wade -178 X 2,209,580 7/1940 Sargent 189-36 2,591,775 4/1952. Bopp etal. 160-196 2,780,850 2/1957 Lieff 24-73 2,897,928 8/1959 Selig 248-224X 2,930,459 3/1960 Moser 189-88 2,944,642 7/ 1960 Evans 189-36 2,962,78312/1960 Elder 189-88 3,129,751 4/1964 Weber 16-94 FOREIGN PATENTS538,794 1/1956 Italy. 205,865 10/ 1939 Switzerland.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

D. L. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A LOUVER ASSEMBLY INCLUDING VERTICAL LOUVERS, APPARATUS FORRELEASABLY CLAMPING EACH END OF EACH LOUVER TO A STATIONARY MEMBER, ALSOAT EACH END THEREOF, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A HOUSING INCLUDING AUNIT RELEASABLY ENGAGED WITH AN END OF A LOUVER, SAID HOUSING HAVING AU-SHAPED STRUCTURE WITH LEGS EXTENDING PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER AND IN THESAME DIRECTION; SHOULDERS FORMED ON THE INSIDE OF SAID LEGS BY REVERSELYBENDING EQUAL OUTER PORTIONS OF THE LEGS SO THAT SAID SHOULDERS ARE OFEQUAL HEIGHT; AND CLAMP MEANS INCLUDING A BASED AND AN ARM PIVOTALLYMOUNTED ON SAID BASE FOR ROTATABLE MOVEMENT OVER SAID BASE; SAID BASEINSERTABLE BETWEEN SAID LEGS AND THE STATIONARY MEMBER, AND SECURED TOTHE STATIONARY MEMBER WITH SAID END EDGES OF SAID LEGS PLACED FLATTHEREON TO SUPPORT THE U-SHAPED STRUCTURE, SAID ARM HAVING A PORTION ATSAID PIVOTAL MOUNTING WITH OPPOSITE END TIPS EXTENDING NORMALLYLATERALLY TOWARDS SAID LEGS, SAID PORTION MOVABLE FROM A FIRST POSITIONWITH SAID END TIPS SPACED LATERALLY FROM THE LEG END EDGES TO A SECONDPOSITION CONTIGUOUS WITH SAID END TIPS EXTENDING OVER AND IN FRICTIONALENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SHOULDERS, SAID END TIPS CLAMPING SAID SHOULDERSAND THUS SAID HOUSING TOWARD AND AGAINST SAID BASE; SAID ARM HAVINGFURTHER A FINGER PORTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY AND AWAY FROM SAID BASE ANDWITH AN EXPOSED FREE END THEREOF ALWAYS DISPOSED LATERALLY OUTWARDLYFROM ONE OF THE LEGS.